Topic: Anyone on Gemzar?

No cholesterol meds for a long time.  I was too stunned to ask what in particular was raised in my liver. My onc asked if I've been sick lately, anything new going on.  Apparently it was quite a leap.  Makes me nervous.  The only thing I could confess to was eating too much apple crisp and feeling fine...

I hope you're continuing to do well on Gemzar.  It's good stuff!!

Elizabeth

I'll have to ask my onc what the dose is.  She did mention "teeny tiny" dose -- again I didn't ask, the number mean nothing to me, only when she says we'll cut the dose, cut it again...

I've been in such good humour lately, even with the leaving boyfriend/Boston upheaval.  I can't wait to be back with my old girlfriends again.  I've started painting the basement -- found out that primer is hard to get out of my hair, off my arms.  Oh, if you have or know of a goth teenager who wants to paint his/her room black, black paint isn't so hard to cover.  The red is gonna be a big pain.  Gee, black and red walls seemed like such a good idea at first.....hahahahaha.  And painting some ceiling tiles red... Good thing I like painting and have time on my hands... 

Elizabeth:  I am glad things are going well for you and you are feeling good.  When is the big move?  It will be good for you to be back near friends and family.

Kathy:  I hope the Gemzar/Avastin combo works well for you.  I am surprised they put those two meds together... with the bleeding risk from both of them.  My onc was going to start me on Xeloda but decided to go with the Gemzar instead.  I am glad she did as I too am having minimal se's.  It gave me a decent summer, and I hope a decent upcoming holiday season.

I was on Gemzar with Xedola and Gemzar was a good drug. No se and it worked for me.  I was on for 13 months and it helped me stay stable.  Xeloda I had terrible hand and foot syndrome.  I took the summer off for a clinical trial and I am now back on chemo.

Hi Duffymom -- My home is Ottawa, Canada.  I've been in Boston for just over 3 years -- moved here to be with  my boyfriend.  Got BC 6 months after coming here.  :-(  Since I am out of work, COBRA is ending and my visa is expiring I have to leave.  :-(  But I will try to come down to see my b/f every 2nd week or so...  :-)

Remission... What a wonderful word!  I would love to hear it!!  I am so glad it worked so well for you Denise.

Elizabeth:  I am sorry you are having problems with your liver enzymes being elevated.  I know that Gemzar has been a good drug for you so far.  Maybe you just need a little chemo break to get things back to normal.  I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

I have a female onc too, and I just love her also.  Can you believe it... she gives me a hug at the end of our monthly visit and exam.  I go to a very small clinic with a husband/wife oncology team;  she specializes in breast cancer, and he handles all the rest.  It helps us greatly to have a good relationship with our onc.  I hope you find someone just as good and nice once you make your move.  Linda

That is great news about the Gemzar still doing it's job, even at a very small dose!  For some reason, my onc doesn't seem too enthused with Gemzar.  I'm currently on Navelbine/Herceptin after new mets popped up in my right hip in March.  So far it's kept me stable.  As of my last scans on 8/31, my liver is still clean, has been since March 08.  Hopefully things will still be good at the end of this month. 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that your enzymes return to normal.  I hear you about wanting to keep going with an easy chemo that is actually working.  Have you been on Navelbine yet?  I can't recall if you've been on it or not.  It's been pretty easy since they got the dose right.  Biggest problem is it's aggravated my neuropathy numbness wise, but that's about it.

Good luck with your move.  It does feel good to go home again, doesn't it?

Great news Elizabeth!  Keep the good news coming!!  Have a safe trip tomorrow.  Linda

I had my last Gemzar infusion in the US on Wed -- I don't know if the onc in Canada will continue with Gemzar or what -- I see him Dec 08.  My onc here said when patients switch oncs/go to a new cancer center there is a trend for a continuation on chemo, even if the previous onc was toying with the idea of a break.  Gemzar is being so good to me but my bod is getting worn out, especially my liver.

I was very surprised to find out that I have osteopenia -- another SE of seemingly endless chemo.  My back MRI shows that the met on my spine is still gone.  That's nice.

I must admit that I am scared/nervous about not getting chemo.  I didn't have any luck on tamox.  Also I still have a 1cm liver lesion that is stubbornly hanging on.  When the mets came back last year it spread so fast when I had a break to get my ovaries out.  If I'm on AIs and they don't work I worry about not being able to get it under control again.  I guess I'll have to wait and see.

I hope everyone on Gemzar is still getting good results and flirting with the stable boy and NED.  Next update: Dec 08.  Don't know how many read this, but it helps me writing this stuff.  Thanks.

Oh no -- I hope it is generic back pain.  I never stopped getting twinges in my spine where the mets was even though the lesion disappeared months ago.  Is the tumor still gone on your clavicle?  I remember you could feel it before. 

I love PET scans but I don't think they're done as often in Canada -- I guess I'll find out.  Insurance companies are such a pain -- seems that they deny once in a while then change their minds once the docs get involved and push.  When was your last one?

I just have a few days of being rested -- inbetween chemo and the neupogin shots I get Mon-Wed.  I've been eating brownies all day, hoping I'd get a sugar rush and finish up packing.  No luck -- maybe tomorrow...

Let me know if you get that PET.  And I sure hope your mets isn't coming back -- I would be so pissed off at the cancer.  Grrrrrrrr.

Yes, the tumor in my clavicle is still gone, which always gives me hope that the Gemzar is still working.  My last Pet was in June just before I started Gemzar, so the insurance company shoudn't give me a hard time about one now as it is almost Dec.

If they don't do PET scans as often in Canada, how do they tell if the chemo is working?

Thanks for the kind words Elizabeth, and have fun playing with those CD's of your body.